One million children flee war-torn Syria: UN

GENEVA: One million children have fled war-torn Syria, the UN said on Friday, marking what it called a "tragic milestone' in the conflict.

Another two million children have been forced from their homes and made refugees in their own country since the start of the war nearly two and a half years ago, said the UN. Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees, told reporters in Geneva that "(...) we are not here to celebrate any good news, but to mark another tragic milestone in the dramatic Syria crisis".

"One million is more than the number of children living in Wales. One million children is more than the number of children living in Los Angeles and Boston combined," he said.

In a statement, the head of the UN children's agency UNICEF, Anthony Lake, said the one millionth child refugee was "not just another number".

"This is a real child ripped from home, maybe even from a family, facing horrors we can only begin to comprehend," Lake said.

The sad figures come days after allegations that chemical weapons were used in Syria, killing hundreds of people including children. (AFP)